Bob Cooney

Make no mistake: The 76ers would like to trade Samuel Dalembert. And Dalembert is more than ready to go.

But the Sacramento-Boston-Sixers scenario that turned up earlier today on ESPN's web site wasn't a live issue this week, last week or even the week before. It's something that was discussed before the start of the NBA's regular season, according to a source familiar with the Sixers' situation. And while the contract numbers worked, at least one of the three teams didn't feel a need to follow through.

The Sixers would have acquired Tony Allen and Brian Scalabrine from Boston, and Kenny Thomas from Sacramento. The Kings would have added Dalembert and J.R. Giddens from Boston. The Celtics would have landed Andres Nocioni from the Kings.

This is just the latest rumor to surface since February, when Dalembert asked to be traded and the Sixers said they would attempt to accommodate him. At the same time, Marc Cornstein, Dalembert's agent, has clearance from the Sixers to try and make something happen. One major stumbling block has been Dalembert's contract, which includes a 15 percent trade kicker of roughly $3.5 million; that kicker must be paid by the team acquiring him within 30 days of a deal.

''There have been a lot of talks, a lot of different scenarios,'' Cornstein told the Daily News. ''I don't think anything is imminent or happening. They're making calls, and are aware that I'm doing the same.''

The same source said a rumored offer of Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic from Charlotte for Dalembert had no legs. Bell and Radmanovic ended up in Golden State in a deal for Stephen Jackson and Acie Law. The reconfigured Bobcats play the Sixers tomorrow night in the Wachovia Center.

Ed Stefanski, the Sixers' president/general manager, was unavailable for comment.